1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to technology for image data transmission and reception technology, for transmitting and receiving image data between an image data transmission device and an image data reception device, which are connected via a network such as the Internet.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In the field of providing photography-related services, a photographer takes a film from a camera, or a memory card from a digital camera, to a mini-lab store, and photographs are developed and printed, or the like, on the basis of the image data (image files) contained on the film or memory card, by means of a prescribed printing control device situated in the mini-lab store.
Conventionally, a printing control device of this kind, a personal computer (hereinafter, called a “PC”) located in a home, and a prescribed image management device which centrally manages image files uploaded from the printing control device or a PC, are mutually connected by means of the Internet, and an image management system is formed by connection of these devices. More particularly, in an image management system of this kind, image data for a plurality of photographers (users operating PC), which has been uploaded to the image management device for centralized management, is downloaded from the image management device to the printing control device on the basis of commands from a PC, and the PC user is hence able readily to order (re)prints of desired photographs.
However, in an image management system of this kind, a large volume of image data for a large number of users is transmitted from the image management device to the printing control device (situated in a mini-lab store), and hence the time required to transmit this image data is long, when a narrow band communications circuit (approximately several 10–100 Kbps) is being used.
By introducing a broad band communications circuit (of the order of several Mbps) between the image management device and the printing control device, it is possible to shorten the communications time, but this circuit is not used efficiently at night, for example, when there are no operators, or at times where there are no print orders, and therefore, it is difficult to use a broadband communications network of this kind with sufficient efficiency for it to prove beneficial with respect to the communications cost.